BENTON HARBOR, Mich. (WOOD) — Benton Harbor had its State of the City address Tuesday night as the water crisis continues.
During the State of the City, Benton Harbor Mayor Marcus Muhammed said progress has been made in addressing the water crisis here, but much more still needs to be done.
“The City of Benton Harbor is a city in transition,” Muhammed said.
The mayor said funding has been key in removing lead water line and that in 2018 — when elevated levels were first discovered — the city had just $284,000 to address it.
Inside woodtv.com: Benton Harbor water crisis
“I’m happy to report just four years later the city of Benton Harbor has allocated $33 million to address the lead service line issue in the city of Benton Harbor. We have procured contracts and they are already on the ground working to remove the lead,” Muhammed said.
Muhammed focused on what has been achieved but acknowledges more funding may be needed.
“I think that what we have, considering the new testing and the new results that what we have, is sufficient,” he said.
In his speech, he pointed to a new study showing filtration is working as one sign of hope.
For a replay of the State of the City, watch the video in the player below.
“We do have good news where we recently received from the EPA that the over 3,000 water filters that was passed out from 2018 until now, when the study was done on 200. They found out that those water filters have been effective,” he said.
New Benton Harbor rule requires lead water line replacement
Water bottles are still being provided by the state in addition to the filtration.
“There are approximately 7,000 cases of water delivered per week to residents in order to keep them safe through this water crisis,” the mayor said.
The mayor says the city projects lead service lines will be replaced by the end of May in 2023.
“Until every lead service line is removed from the ground from the city of Benton Harbor and every tap is clean and pure drinking water is coming out of it our mission is not completed,” he said.
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